Onyeka Onwenu, the iconic Nigerian singer and songwriter known for her music that dominated the airwaves in the 80s and 90s, has passed away. Onyeka Onwenu tragically slumped and died on Tuesday night after performing at a birthday party in Lagos. She was 72 years old.
In what was supposed to be a joyous occasion, Onyeka Onwenu, affectionately dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” by Nigerian media during her illustrious music career, died at Reddington Hospital in Lagos. She was rushed there shortly after performing at the birthday celebration of Mrs. Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceuticals. According to an eyewitness, the legendary singer walked back to her seat after her performance, where she suddenly collapsed. Emergency services were called immediately, and she was taken to Reddington Hospital on Victoria Island, Lagos, where she was pronounced dead.
“It is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu just performed at the birthday of Mrs. Stella Okoli today, and after performing, she slumped. She was taken to Reddington Hospital and she couldn’t make it,” the eyewitness recounted. The cause of death remains unknown at the time of reporting.
Born on January 31, 1952, Onwenu was a multifaceted artist and activist whose music resonated across four decades. She was not only a singer and songwriter but also an actress, broadcaster, and a staunch social and human rights activist.
Onyeka Onwenu held the position of former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture. In 2013, she was appointed the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development. Originally from Arondizuogu in Ideato North, Imo State, Onwenu grew up in Port Harcourt. Her father, D. K. Onwenu, was a notable Nigerian educationist and politician who tragically died in a car crash when she was just four years old, a week before his appointment as Minister for Education. She was the youngest of five siblings.
Onwenu’s academic journey took her to the United States, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Communication from Wellesley College, Massachusetts, followed by an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York. She worked as a tour guide at the United Nations before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to participate in the mandatory one-year national youth service at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos.
Her musical career began in 1981 while still working with the NTA. She released her debut album, For the Love of You, a pop album that featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight,” produced by Berkley Jones. Her sophomore album, Endless Life, produced by Sonny Okosun, included another cover—the Everly Brothers’ “Walk Right Back.” Both albums were released under the EMI label.
However, it was her first album with Polygram, In The Morning Light, recorded in London and released in 1984, that marked a significant milestone in her career. It featured the track “Masterplan,” written by her close friend Tyna Onwudiwe.
Throughout her career spanning more than four decades, Onwenu was celebrated for hit songs such as “You and I,” “Wait for Me” (a duet with legendary juju artist King Sunny Ade), “Iyogogo,” and “Dancing in the Sun.” In addition to her music career, Onwenu ventured into acting, with her first movie role as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s Nightmare. She appeared in numerous Nollywood films and, in 2006, won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie Widow’s Cot.
Ayo Sogbuyi is a seasoned journalist with over 30 years of experience, he is a passionate advocate for press freedom and ethical reporting. Throughout his career, he has covered significant global events and championed the role of journalism in holding power to account.